these things take time
by happymedium
Summary: Paige and Emily meet at Pride.


**this one's for you**

**au / paige and emily meet at pride. emily working as a paramedic, paige as her patient.**

It's her first pride; she's been out for years, but Jesse (her roommates ex-boyfriend,) well, that's a different story. One minute she's studying for a test, the next she's sat on the floor of her dorm with a boy crying in her lap. It's not how she expected her evening to pan out. Honestly she doesn't even know the guy that well, but he asked her, and she couldn't think of a good enough excuse not too.

Jesse gets drunk, like, ridiculously drunk. She's not there to look after him, she's not his mother. Still, when he's climbing on tables and being the token drunk guy that everyone hates, she feels like maybe she should step in. Although that gets her no-where, because when she goes to help him down from the table, he manages to stumble and fall off, taking her out in the process.

Next thing she knows, she's laid out on a gurney staring at the off-white ceiling of a tent. There's a lot of noise going on outside, so it's safe to assume that Pride is still going on, and that she hasn't been out for too long. Paige moves to sit up, but is quickly stopped by the searing agony thats shooting it's way up her wrist; she wails in pain and falls back against the bed with a thump; suddenly she's got someone by her side tending to her wrist and helping her get comfortable again,

'Hey, hey, be careful,' someone- the paramedic, it's safe to assume- tells her. She has her eyes closed tight, but it's a girls voice, that's obvious enough.

'My wrist really frickin' hurts,' Paige says through gritted teeth; she doesn't want to cry, but she's damn close. She hisses when a bag of ice is placed against the bruise, but it helps,

'You landed on it pretty badly, so it's a bit swollen, badly bruised. A minor sprain, but luckily nothings broken. You'll live, just don't put any pressure on it,' it sounds like she's smiling. Paige groans, 'Here, take these,'

She opens her eyes. Suddenly, she's aware of how much of a potato she must look- slouched in her seat, grimacing in pain- being looked at by an impossibly cute paramedic sporting the most amused grin on her face. Without thinking, Paige tries again to sit herself up, then wails out, 'What did I just say?'

Embarrassed, Paige flushes a deep crimson. God, she's going to kill Jesse. Which reminds her, 'Um, was anyone with me when I came in?'

'Mm, not that I remember,'

'Great,' she grumbles, ''Thank's a lot, Jesse,'

'Girlfriend?'

'Boy friend. I mean a Male friend, a friend that is a boy,' Paige cringes, 'Did you drug me?'

The paramedic giggles, 'No, but if it makes you feel any better I can pretend I did?''

'Yes, please,'

'No problem,' she winks, and Paige smiles, feeling a little less embarrassed- if that was ever possible. 'What's your name?'

'Paige. McCullers.'

'She scribbles it down on a chart, 'I'll be right back with you in a moment, Paige,' she says, then turns away to help deal with a drunk guy on the other side of the tent.

Emily is the girls name, she learns it when some a girl and her boyfriend come in, asking when she gets off. Paige can't help but be nosy, especially when there's nothing to do in the tent except listen. The pair leave, and Emily returns to her side with some bandages. 'This'll hurt,' she warns, 'But it'll help you get better a whole lot faster,'

'How fast?'

'If you're careful, I'd say two to three weeks,'

Paige is feeling bold.

'If you're wrong, you'll have to make it up to me,'

'I'm sure we could work something out,' Emily smirks,

Instead of hitting Jesse next time she see's him, maybe she'll give him a high five.

Emily's dad is in the army, so he travels a lot; Emily' and her mom have lived in Rosewood since she was ten. She has no siblings She came out when she was sixteen, and even though her mom wasn't understanding in the beginning, she couldn't be any more supportive now.

Paige is pretty sure her wrist could have been wrapped up in 10 minutes, but it's going on half an hour. She's pretty sure that Emily can't draw this out for much longer, but Paige really doesn't want this to end.

Maybe she could fake a concussion.

Like she imagined, it doesn't take long for Paige's wrist to be bandaged up, and Emily gives her the all clear.

'Thanks, my wrist is feeling better already,' she jokes, and Emily grins. They're just standing there smiling at each other until Paige realises, then shakes her head, 'Anyway, thank you again,'

'Paige, wait,' Emily says, fishing into her pocket and pulling out a sharpie. She looks at her wrist, 'May I?'

Paige lifts her bandaged wrist up willingly, and Emily gently takes it in her hand, neatly printing her number in black ink along her palm. 'There, just make sure you call before the gauze comes off,' she says, with a smile. Paige smirks and nods,

As soon as she's out of the tent, she dials the number. She hasn't got time to worry if this seems too eager or not though, as it's answered on the second ring,

'Too soon?' Paige asks,

'Please,' Emily says, 'I was worried you'd never call,'

**FIN.**


End file.
